New Years Resolutions

Can’t see a thread already. I normally dislike the arbitrary attempts to change behaviour on 1st Jan, but this year I have 2-

More time outside (so work is fixed, but a focus on spending my free time outside rather than inside at home, or even in the gym).

More mountains- will probably need a few early starts etc, but need to get back into the feeling of being able to run or ride up the next large lump (not many lumps in North Wilts to work with). Also 2 holidays booked this year, the Ardeche and the Alps, so that should help!

What are yours, and what chance of success do you give yourself?

Turn up.

Make an effort.

just 1 here.

to be more tolerant. of people and situations.

To see 2026

to start enjoying life again. (I’ve got multiple operations coming up to ideally fix a host of knee issues – the impact on my quality of life has been significant)

Happy new year!

Oh the usual, be more sociable and worry less.

Win the lottery.

Still need to learn to wheelie (could do it as a kid, can’t now)..

More camping, last year was rubbish for getting out overnight..

As well as the usual be a better person etc.

Last year was to leave the house every day. Amazingly I did.

This year? Just to try and have a really good year.

Use no more than five disposable cups in the year. Was originally a target of zero last year, but I fell off the wagon slightly and totalled seven.

Join the local running club which hopefully in January will have some unfit and overweight “new year’s resolution” punters who will be slower than me.

Oh and start doing parkrun regularly again.

Ride more.

2023 and 2024 were both disappointing on that front due to family health issues, which obviously take priority over my selfish hobby!

To not believe the hype, ignore the companies trying to guilt trip gym memberships and accelerate the new stuff you must have to fit in arms race. Ride more because I want to rather than feel I should do or need to and support bike shops more.

Let #norulesjustride & #slowisok be my watch words

Dry-ish January – no home drinking – it’ll be a pint after riding on a Wed night and a couple of 4-5 pint evenings out socialising for the month. Nothing more.

This is with a view to getting back down to 13st and just feeling a bit more lively. On the salad for lunches when WFH.

I’m hoping it will give my riding a bit of oomph as the conditions get really shitty – then carry that oomph through into late spring/summer. Deffo in the doldrums a bit right now, but my system doesn’t seem to be able to cope with the festive period very well nowadays.

Get the house to a point of livable that it stops guilt tripping me into not doing fun stuff.

Become more at one with my stalled career being liberating rather than a frustration and from here to end of days its just a way of paying the bills

Building strength and flexibility based exercise into my weekly routine as it’s currently hampering my ability to do fun stuff and I recognise I’m of an age where use it or lose it has started the steady decline.

Get the workshop to a point of  orderliness that it’s not a permanent frustration.

I think mine are pretty much same as last year!

I want to get fitter, stronger and healthier (who doesn’t!)

and just want to find more moments of joy in my everyday life (which I think means more music, getting outside, using my camper van and less time working or worrying).

Buy “nothing”.

Not nothing, clearly, but I have t-shirts, socks, bike and running gear which actually need wearing out. Shoes will need to be replaced, that’s fine. But no unnecessary sportspursuit orders, for example.

Pointed to this by a friend far wiser than I:

“You can’t rely on the attainment of goals or journeys, no matter how big or small, for your happiness, because the attainment of that goal will only bring you temporary gratification. If you want to be happy, then you must enjoy it all, at whatever point you’re at, from the beginning to the end. Because ultimately happiness is the acceptance of the journey as it is now, not the promise of the other shore.”

From “One Man & His Bike” by Mike Carter this quote is from Stevie Smith, the Salcombe to E Portlemouth ferryman who once pedalled from Greenwich to Hawaii.

Despite the fact that anyone talking about “their journey” usually makes my teeth itch, I think my mate’s aim, in light of the above, to try to be better at “accepting the journey as it is now” is one worth following.

Survive.

Not 100% concerned if I don’t because, if that happens, I won’t be in a position to care.

To stop spending time on interweb forums and replying to random topi… arse, I’ve failed already.

Mrs Vlads is to re-decorate the house and replace most of the flooring. Can’t say I’m keen on the idea….

More gym, more yoga/pilates.

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Also, my diet has become a little repetitive. I have a lot of recipe books so every week I will cook at least one thing I’ve never done before. Actually stared this back in November, but going to carry on with it.